Flavored ice balls of tamarind are seen at The Eighteenth, a bar named for the 18th amendment, Thursday, July 12, 2012, in Houston. (Cody Duty / Houston Chronicle)

Flavored ice balls of tamarind are seen at The Eighteenth, a bar named for the 18th amendment, Thursday, July 12, 2012, in Houston. (Cody Duty / Houston Chronicle)

Photo: Cody Duty

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It may look a pretty bowl of salsa, but when you taste the watermelon gazpacho at Ninfa s, you definitely won t need the chips. Served with shrimp, jicama, mango and crispy plantains ($14); Ninfa s on Navigation, 2704 Navigation Boulevard, 713-228-1175; ninfas.com. less

It may look a pretty bowl of salsa, but when you taste the watermelon gazpacho at Ninfa s, you definitely won t need the chips. Served with shrimp, jicama, mango and crispy plantains ($14); Ninfa s on ... more

Photo: Mai Pham

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Liberty Kitchen makes thick milk shakes using custard.

Liberty Kitchen makes thick milk shakes using custard.

Photo: Mai Pham

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At The Counter you can build your own ice cream sandwich by picking your own cookies to sandwich vanilla ice cream.

At The Counter you can build your own ice cream sandwich by picking your own cookies to sandwich vanilla ice cream.

Photo: Mai Pham

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Think all Korean food is hot? Take one bite of the icy-cold naeng-myeon noodles at Arirang Restaurant, and consider yourself re-educated. Plunged in an ice bath before being served, these sweet and spicy, chewy buckwheat noodles are icily refreshing ($4.95); Arirang Restaurant, 9715 Bellaire Blvd, 713-988-2088. less

Think all Korean food is hot? Take one bite of the icy-cold naeng-myeon noodles at Arirang Restaurant, and consider yourself re-educated. Plunged in an ice bath before being served, these sweet and spicy, chewy ... more

Dazed and Confused may be a film about coming of age, but nothing s gonna keep you from growing up like a cup of Eatsie Boy s Glazed and Confused ice cream, made with real Shipley s donut mixed in, and a donut hole on top, too. ($5). Eatsie Boys Food Truck, check website for location, 845-430-8479; eatsieboys.com less

Dazed and Confused may be a film about coming of age, but nothing s gonna keep you from growing up like a cup of Eatsie Boy s Glazed and Confused ice cream, made with real Shipley s donut mixed in, and a ... more

Limoncello and granita float from Quattro at The Four Seasons Houston.

Limoncello and granita float from Quattro at The Four Seasons Houston.

Photo: Paula Murphy

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Mixed fruit shaved ice: Tres leches is the bomb, but when it comes to condensed milk, Juice Box is the explosion. Powder-fine, pillowy mounds of shaved ice are interlaced with condensed milk, then topped with freshly chopped fruit, and a scoop of ice cream for a gratifyingly cold treat ($7); Juice Box, 9889 Bellaire Boulevard, suite 109, 713-484-8085. less

Mixed fruit shaved ice: Tres leches is the bomb, but when it comes to condensed milk, Juice Box is the explosion. Powder-fine, pillowy mounds of shaved ice are interlaced with condensed milk, then topped with ... more

Photo: Mai Pham

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Alcoholic "push pops" from Reserve 101 in Houston.

Alcoholic "push pops" from Reserve 101 in Houston.

Photo: Julie Soefer

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Snoballs from Mam's House of Ice.

Snoballs from Mam's House of Ice.

Photo: Mai Pham

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Sour cherries are at their peak now, which is why you should venture to Kenny & Ziggy s Deli to sample their Hungarian Sour Cherry Soup. A seasonal addition to the menu, the cold soup gets its richness from half and half and sour cream and its flavor from orange juice, cinnamon and vanilla in the cherry mash ($4.95 for cup, $6.95 for bowl); Kenny & Ziggy s Deli, 2327 Post Oak Boulevard, 713-871-8883; kennyandziggys.com. less

Sour cherries are at their peak now, which is why you should venture to Kenny & Ziggy s Deli to sample their Hungarian Sour Cherry Soup. A seasonal addition to the menu, the cold soup gets its richness from ... more

Photo: Paula Murphy

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Ever heard that milk does a body good? Blend it like a Frappuccino, then add tapioca, pudding, or fruit jelly, and good gets better. Cafe 101 s creamy, ice-blended milk is filled with tasty things that you can suck up and chew ($4.60); Cafe 101, 9889 Bellaire Blvd, Ste 101, 713-272-8828; cafe101houston.com. less

Ever heard that milk does a body good? Blend it like a Frappuccino, then add tapioca, pudding, or fruit jelly, and good gets better. Cafe 101 s creamy, ice-blended milk is filled with tasty things that you can ... more

Photo: Mai Pham

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Make love, not war. Then, head over to Juicy in the Sky for a psychedelic ride into to world of fruit smoothies with a cool chocolaty-cherry-banana-coconut smoothie named after a rock star. Juicy in the Sky, 238 West 19th St, 832-428-5151; juicyinthesky.com. less

Make love, not war. Then, head over to Juicy in the Sky for a psychedelic ride into to world of fruit smoothies with a cool chocolaty-cherry-banana-coconut smoothie named after a rock star. Juicy in the Sky, ... more

Photo: Mai Pham

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Frozen sweet tea: We ain t talking no 7-Eleven Slurpee. Down one of Sunny s frosty, frozen sweet tea concoctions too quickly, and you ll not only get brain-freeze, but a happy buzz to go with it ($5); Sunny s Bar, 902 Capitol St, 713-224-3200; sunnysbar.com. less

Frozen sweet tea: We ain t talking no 7-Eleven Slurpee. Down one of Sunny s frosty, frozen sweet tea concoctions too quickly, and you ll not only get brain-freeze, but a happy buzz to go with it ($5); Sunny s ... more

Photo: Mai Pham

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Jarritos float at TQLA, Houston

Jarritos float at TQLA, Houston

Photo: Jack Thompson

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Some like it cold

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Breaking records across the country, summer heat has plunged us into a prolonged inferno. We can't escape, but we can seek relief. Houstonians are no strangers to a blistering summer, and we take our cold comforts seriously. We know where to get the best frozen pleasures and tastiest arctic blasts. Here are 25 cold reliables and new treats (our top pick, Cloud 10 Creamery, is on the cover) to get us through the summer.

Frozen custard: We may have been weaned on DQ, but our adult soft-serve desires sometimes require more depth and finesse. That's where frozen custard comes in. Petite Sweets serves a dense, delicious swirl that may spoil you for any other extruded ice cream ($2.25 and $3.25); Petite Sweets, 2700 W. Alabama, 713-520-7007; petitesweetshouston.com.Soft-serve shake: Liberty Kitchen takes the same great vanilla custard served at Petite Sweets and uses it to craft thick shakes ($5.50) in chocolate, strawberry, coffee, caramel, toasted marshmallow. If you want to get wicked, add a slice of pie or cake ($8); Liberty Kitchen, 1050 Studewood, 713-802-0533; libertykitchenoysterbar.com.Watermelon licuado: Aguas frescas, licuados and snow cones – all of these delicious cold treats are available at Tampico Refresqueria. The merger of ice and fresh fruit is a particularly beautiful thing, especially if it's a watermelon licuado ($3), so velvety and icy cold it makes us shiver even as we are sweating; 4520 N. Main, 713-880-3040.

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Sorbet sampler: Overachiever chef Roberto Castre of Latin Bites Cafe makes all his own unique and exotic sorbets and gelatos. Nine of them - including flavors such as pisco sour, chicha morada, cherimoya and aji Amarillo - go on his showstopper of a dessert sampler ($20); Latin Bites Café, 5709 Woodway, 713-229-8369; latinbitescafe.com.

Watermelon gazpacho: It may look like a pretty bowl of salsa, but when you taste the watermelon gazpacho at Ninfa's, you definitely won't need the chips. Served with shrimp, jicama, mango and crispy plantains ($14); Ninfa's on Navigation, 2704 Navigation Boulevard, 713-228-1175; ninfas.com. Iced tea: We love our sweet tea but sometimes we're in the mood for a bit of exotica when it comes to brewed leaves. The new Dolce Delights in midtown combines jasmine tea with fresh fruit juices for an icy quencher, our new go-to tea that comes in two sizes ($3.95, $5.25). Other teas, as well as matcha, offered at this charming new patisserie; Dolce Delights, 3201 Louisiana, Suite 100, 713-807-7575; mydolcedelights.com.

Flavored ice orbs: The Eighteenth Cocktail Bar calls them "H²0 Syrups" but they're really frozen balls of flavored ice meant to provide the tasty "mixer" component of a cocktail. Simply pour your favorite spirit over a sphere flavored with hibiscus, rose water and vanilla or honeydew and cucumber for a creative new cocktail ($8-$10); The Eighteenth Cocktail Bar, 2511 Bissonnet, 713-533-9800; 18thbar.net.

Cherry soup: Sour cherries are at their peak now, which is why you should venture to Kenny & Ziggy's Deli to sample its Hungarian Sour Cherry Soup. A seasonal addition to the menu, the cold soup gets its richness from half and half and sour cream and its flavor from orange juice, cinnamon and vanilla in the cherry mash ($4.95 for cup, $6.95 for bowl); Kenny & Ziggy's Deli, 2327 Post Oak Boulevard, 713-871-8883; kennyandziggys.com.

Ice cream sandwich: Building your own perfect burger is a snap at The Counter. Now you can have an ice cream sandwich your way, too. Choose your cookie (chocolate chip, white chocolate macadamia, or oatmeal raisin) to act as the bookends to a big scoop of ice cream for only $3.50. A simple pleasure done right; The Counter, 4601 Washington, 713-966-6123; thecounterburger.com/houstontx.

Nitro float: Anyone who thinks Killen's is just another steakhouse is dead wrong. The Pearland kitchen's sophisticated chops extend even to the dessert course with a liquid nitrogen root beer float that comes with a chocolate hazelnut tart topped with marshmallow cream. Freezing hot; $5.50 at Killen's Steakhouse, 2804 S. Main St., Pearland, 281-485-0844; killenssteakhouse.com.

Icy, spicy noodles: Think all Korean food is hot? Take one bite of the icy-cold naeng-myeon noodles at Arirang Restaurant, and consider yourself re-educated. Plunged in an ice bath before being served, these sweet and spicy, chewy buckwheat noodles are icily refreshing ($4.95); Arirang Restaurant, 9715 Bellaire, 713-988-2088.Doughnut ice cream: "Dazed and Confused" may be a film about coming of age, but nothing's gonna keep you from growing up like a cup of Eatsie Boys' "Glazed and Confused" ice cream, made with real Shipley's doughnut mixed in, and a doughnut hole on top, too. ($5). Eatsie Boys Food Truck, check website for location, 845-430-8479; eatsieboys.com.

Limoncello float: Dessert? Intermezzo? After-dinner drink? Whatever you want to call it, we like the idea of a house-made limoncello floated over lemon granita at Quattro. Think of it as an Italian Slushee or a boozy, grown-up float. Whatever, it's good; $9 at Quattro, Four Seasons Hotel Houston, 1300 Lamar, 713-650-1300; fourseasons.com/houston.

Mixed-fruit shaved ice: Tres leches is the bomb, but when it comes to condensed milk, Juice Box is the explosion. Powder-fine, pillowy mounds of shaved ice are interlaced with condensed milk, then topped with freshly chopped fruit, and a scoop of ice cream for a gratifyingly cold treat ($7); Juice Box, 9889 Bellaire, suite 109; 713-484-8085.

Boozy push pops: Cocktail on a stick? Kinda. The new push pops at Reserve 101 look like our childhood favorites but are made with real alcohol. Try the Scotch-Colada, Salted Caramel Bacon and Bourbon Creamsicle or the Michelada ($7 each). Reserve 101, 1201 Caroline, 713-655-7101; reserve101.com.

Snoball: What's that about a snowball's chance in hell? Give us a snoball from Mam's House of Ice and we'll gladly endure any hellish heat. Superfine ice ($2, $3 and $4 sizes) soaks up an exquisite galaxy of syrups. The wait may be long but the cold comfort divine. Mam's House of Ice, 20th at Rutland; mamshouseofice.com.

Snowflake ice: The Taiwanese are nothing if not inventive. Make a machine that shaves ice like gyros, invent snowflake ice! Mounds of freshly shaved snowflakes come in natural flavors like mango, taro and coffee at Nu Cafe. Best bet is the peanut topped with coffee jelly.($3.95 and $6). Nu Cafe, 9889 Bellaire Boulevard, 713-771-7771; nucafehouston.com.Orange float: Tequila bar TQLA put a Mexican twist on an old-fashioned favorite by composing its ice cream float using orange Jarritos soda and garnishing it with Mexican fortune cookies. If you like the great flavor of Jarritos, you'll also appreciate TQLA's take on a root beer float using IBC root beer; $5 at TQLA Houston, 4601 Washington, #130, 281-501-3237; tqlahouston.com.

Jimi Hendrix smoothie: Make love, not war. Then, head over to Juicy in the Sky for a psychedelic ride into a world of fruit smoothies with a cool chocolaty-cherry- banana-coconut smoothie ($6.95) named after a rock star; Juicy in the Sky, 238 West 19th, 832- 428-5151; juicyinthesky.com.

Frozen sweet tea: We ain't talking no 7-Eleven Slurpee. Down one of Sunny's frosty, frozen sweet tea concoctions too quickly, and you'll not only get brain- freeze, but a happy buzz to go with it ($5); Sunny's Bar, 902 Capitol 713-224-3200; sunnysbar.com.

Iced milk: Ever heard that milk does a body good? Blend it like a Frappuccino, then add tapioca, pudding, or fruit jelly and good gets better. Cafe 101's creamy, ice-blended milk is filled with tasty things that you can suck up and chew ($4.60); Cafe 101, 9889 Bellaire Blvd, Suite 101, 713-272- 8828; cafe101houston. com.